My err, Mike. I thought your quote was directed at me as it was posted after three other posts, was a direct reply to my message , and in the vein of letting something bother me i.e. "I think (limited), therefor I am (limited)".

If you really want to study Descartes, I would start with his book “The Discourse on the Method”, or its full title “Discourse on the Method of Rightly Conducting One's Reason and of Seeking Truth in the Sciences”. If what he writes in this book interest you, you can decide if you want to give his additional writings further study.

After reading some of the things you have written over the past couple of years here, you might want to study Friedrich Nietzsche as well. I think you will like the book “Basic Writings of Nietzsche” I think it is excellent and a very different tone from most philosophical writings. Nietzsche is also one of the most misunderstood and misrepresented philosophers because he questioned convention (basically called BS on it).

I am by no means an expert on philosophy and do not have the intellect to be a philosopher, but find it incredibly interesting and thought provoking. One thing it has taught me is to keep an open mind, never accept status quo and question everything. My favorite book (so far) is “Sophie’s World”. Well, that book and Zen and the Art or Motorcycle Maintenance. I like Sophie’s World because it is a great introductory book that ties the ancients to modern day in a chronological order without giving any preference to one thought or direction. Plus, it’s an easy read, unlike most philosophical texts and books.

(That'd be so funny. In the middle of a multi-person heated discusion over interpretations of Descartes, you interrupt and say "Descartes was a turd!" Not another word or gesture. You just get up and leave. The substitutions are endless.)

Thanks, Mike. I've read Nietzsche, and own at least one of his books but I can't remember which one/ones. I have enjoyed reading his works in the past.

I'm with you, as I find philosophy incredibly piquant. I haven't read a book on the topic in many years. I stick to one subject for a while, then move onto another. The downside is that I find it harder to retain information. For the past 6 months at least, I've been voraciously studying the Israeli/Palestine conflict, and like to think that I have a good understanding of things. Because of the gravity of the situation, I can see it breaking my aforementioned transient studying trend.

The best book I've ever read is "Man's Search for Meaning" by Victor Frankle. He's a psychologist, and the pioneer of logotherapy. Despite this, the book does have a philosophical undertone.

Here's a synopsis-

"Viktor Frankl's 1946 book Man's Search for Meaning chronicles his experiences as a concentration camp inmate and describes his psychotherapeutic method of finding a reason to live. According to Frankl, the book intends to answer the question "How was everyday life in a concentration camp reflected in the mind of the average prisoner?" Part One constitutes Frankl's analysis of his experiences in the concentration camps, while Part Two introduces his ideas of meaning and his theory of logotherapy. It is the second-most widely read Holocaust book in the bookstore of Washington's Holocaust Museum.

According to a survey conducted by the Book-of-the-Month Club and the Library of Congress, Man's Search For Meaning belongs to a list of "the ten most influential books in [the United States]." (New York Times, November 20, 1991). At the time of the author's death in 1997, the book had sold 10 million copies in twenty-four languages."

I think you would enjoy it, as I consider it one of those books that everyone should read. I honestly couldn't see anyone finishing the book without it having a profound impact on them.

And there's post 3000! Come on, Peter, get on me about something. It's not a real milestone for me if you don't . There's gotta be something - grammar, orthography, I'm a jackass etc. .

This is the only forum I post on regularly, and I cherish the time spent here with everyone. I've considered leaving a couple times quite honestly, but the time away was shortened (too bad for some of ya ) because I missed you guys.